Gov. Murphy: New Jersey Will Not 'Be Beaten Or Bludgeoned' Into Reopening Schools If It's Not Safe
TRENTON, N.J. (CBS/AP) -- In New Jersey, Gov. Phil Murphy said he has a strong bias toward getting back to school this fall. However, he said schools will only open if it can be done safely.
"We're not gonna be beaten or bludgeoned into doing this. We're gonna do this, we're gonna do it right, responsibly, and only if we can be convinced that we could protect all lives here -- the kids, the teachers, the administrators, the parents, grandparents to whom these kids will go home to," Murphy said.
Last week, President Donald Trump and his administration demanded schools fully reopen right away, calling for new guidance from federal health officials and slamming schools that want to bring students back for only a few days a week.
At the same time, some states are just now issuing their own directives, and school district leaders say they expect those guidelines to be revised again before the classroom bells ring.
While there's no indication school administrators are changing their plans yet because of the latest word from the White House, they are working on multiple reopening scenarios. Those cover everything from where students will eat lunch to navigating online learning.
Meanwhile, Murphy lifted all capacity limits on New Jersey Transit, starting Wednesday at 8 p.m. Capacity is currently limited to 50%.
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